Franck Muller’s replica ever-growing Vanguard series incorporates a bold and adventurous spirit.

At the beginning of the current renaissance of mechanical watches, Franck Muller launched the Cintrée Curvex case in 1992. Soon after, as the Cintrée Curvex became one of the most well-known cases in modern times, the obvious curve of the tonneau-shaped case could be held by the wrist all over the world.

In 2013, more than 20 years later, Franck Muller launched the Vanguard series as a sports successor to the Cintrée Curvex legacy. The Vanguard retained the curved shape of its predecessor, but enlarged the original proportions of the 44 mm wide and nearly 54 mm high case. Bold without hesitation, the design is perfectly calibrated for a personality that exceeds reality.

Significant differences

One of the most unconventional members of the Vanguard family also happens to be the latest-Vanguard Gravity Skeleton tourbillon. Franck Muller was launched this year, making full use of the extra space of the case to highlight the super-large tourbillon, which turns the dial into a dynamic sculpture that cannot be ignored.

In the “gravity skeleton”, the avant-garde design of the tourbillon includes a balance wheel and a spring that is not aligned with the center axis of the tourbillon cage. Instead, they are off-center, which causes the mechanism to rotate every 60 seconds, giving it a unique elliptical orbit.

The engineering required to perfect this advanced design is impressive, but the technical achievement can be further enhanced through a simple method. Using open space as a design element helps to focus attention on the inherent beauty of the skeleton movement. Its bridges have been greatly reduced, leaving behind the thin metal limbs that make up the hand-wound movement.

Here, the gravity skull tourbillon has an invisible appearance due to the black PVD coating on the bridge and titanium case. But what really inspired the design was the contrast between these dark elements and the colorful tourbillon cage and matching hands, which are available in a variety of colors.

Know all angles

Franck Muller continues to explore the charm of the skeleton movement through another member of the Vanguard family: the 7-day power reserve skeleton. The company has previously released a 7-day power reserve in its Cintrée Curvex replica and Round chassis. In these versions, the design draws inspiration from traditional watchmaking, especially the organic and gorgeous appearance of the hollow table bridge. However, in Vanguard, the design takes industrial advantage, placing the acute angles and straight lines of the bridge side by side to guide the viewer’s eyes to the center of the watch. Round elements are gathered near the center. Round elements such as the balance wheel and barrel make the appearance softer.

The hand-wound movement of the watch is manufactured in-house and is subtly integrated into the iconic Vanguard case, which is available in five different materials: white gold, rose gold, stainless steel, carbon and titanium.

Perspective style

After Franck Muller launched the Grande Date this year, he launched another watch for the Vanguard series. The movement does not have a skeleton, but since there is no dial, it is still displayed. This exposes the various parts of the automatic movement, which are decorated with the traditional Côtes de Genève pattern to present a beautiful appearance. In addition, the open design also makes the numbered wheels that constitute the complex functions of the watch more eye-catching.

You can also see the internal functions of the chronograph, which will become active when you press the button on the side of the case to stop, start and reset the timer function. In operation, the chronograph’s three-o’clock dial counts the minutes, while the red central hand counts the seconds.

Growing family

In addition to these professional timepieces, the Vanguard series also offers men’s and women’s series watches, including all kinds of watches from time-only models to tourbillons.

There is no doubt that this version of Lady Vanguard Color Dreams is not inferior. The sparkling rose gold case is set with rows of diamonds, and the white dial is framed by a white dial, which is decorated with wavy guilloche patterns. The raised and slender Arabic numerals-the logo of the Vanguard series-are bright and cheerful with iridescent colors, which Franck Muller calls the “color dream”. The unique appearance is powered by a quartz movement, without winding, it can run continuously for more than a year, which is a perfect example of grab-and-take convenience. The Lady Vanguard series features a case made of steel, white gold or rose gold.

The newest member of the Vanguard series is also one of its most well-known brands. The yacht series adopts a humorous nautical feel, thanks to the wind rose design on each dial. The navy pattern is inspired in part by the Franck Muller yacht, which was specially produced by the Italian Sea Group in 2015 for the watch company.

The Vanguard Yachting series includes multiple chronograph complications, from date and chronograph to tourbillon. Since Franck Muller pays great attention to variety, each style can be provided with stainless steel, rose gold or white gold cases.

It is often said that fortune is biased towards boldness. This can easily become the slogan of Vanguard, which is a series of discount replica watches that are not afraid to use the power of individuality.